How to Manage HubSpot Marketing Contacts

(This post is part of my comprehensive Ultimate Guide to Efficiently Setting Up Your HubSpot Portal, designed to help you get the most out of HubSpot's marketing tools.)

Understanding HubSpot’s Marketing Contact Concept

One of the most important features in HubSpot is the concept of Marketing Contacts. Properly managing this concept is essential to avoiding unexpected costs. HubSpot classifies each contact as either a Marketing Contact or a Non-Marketing Contact:

• Marketing Contacts are the recipients of your marketing communications, like emails or ads.
• Non-Marketing Contacts still benefit from HubSpot’s tracking and data features but cannot receive marketing communications.

This segmentation allows for focused communication and efficient budget management, as HubSpot charges based on the number of Marketing Contacts, letting you store unlimited Non-Marketing Contacts for free.

How Marketing Contacts Work in HubSpot

HubSpot uses a single checkbox property in each contact’s record to indicate their status as a Marketing Contact. You can update this property manually or through automation using workflows (available for Pro users and above).

Important Consideration: Changes to Marketing Contacts are immediate when setting someone as a Marketing Contact. However, switching a Marketing Contact to Non-Marketing will only take effect on the first day of the following month—meaning you may be billed for these contacts until the change is fully processed.

Strategies for Defining Marketing Contacts

To get the most out of HubSpot’s contact segmentation, identify clear criteria for who should receive your marketing communications. Here are three factors to help you define and prioritize Marketing Contacts:

1. Lead Status and Buyer’s Journey
   Not all leads need the same attention. For instance:

   • Unqualified or lost leads might not require further nurturing emails and can be set as Non-Marketing Contacts.
   • High-interest leads needing more information or nurturing should remain Marketing Contacts for targeted campaigns.
     
     

2. Engagement Levels
   Focus on leads actively engaging with your content. You can even use lead scoring (based on actions like email opens and clicks) to automatically update Marketing Contact status. Engaged leads are more likely to convert, making them a priority for marketing efforts.

3. Campaign Rotation
   Especially useful in prospecting, this approach involves rotating small, targeted batches of contacts. Instead of reaching 10,000 leads at once, consider engaging smaller groups over time, refining each message based on results. This method preserves your budget and enhances lead quality by focusing on the most engaged prospects.

How to Manage Marketing Contacts in HubSpot

Manual Updates

To manually update contacts:

• In the Contacts view, select the contacts you want to update, go to More > Set as Marketing Contact, and choose the appropriate option.
• For lists, you can select all contacts within a specific list and apply the marketing contact status as needed.

Automated Updates with Workflows

For HubSpot Pro and above users, automation can help manage Marketing Contacts seamlessly:

1. Create a Workflow: Go to Workflows > Start from Scratch > Contact-based.
2. Set Enrollment Triggers: Define criteria to add or remove contacts from Marketing Contact status, like engagement score or lead stage.
3. Add Action: Choose Set Marketing Contact Status and specify whether to add as Marketing or Non-Marketing.

Automating this process can save time, reduce manual updates, and ensure only qualified leads receive your marketing communications.

Using HubSpot’s Marketing Contact feature strategically can help control your costs while ensuring your communications reach the right audience. For more insights on optimizing your HubSpot setup, explore the full Ultimate Guide to Efficiently Setting Up Your HubSpot Portal.